Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
3-3
Texas Pan-American
2-6
Buffs Tighten 'D,' Dispatch Broncs To Even Record
November 30, 2010 | Men's Basketball, B.G. Brooks
BOULDER - Tad Boyle always is looking for better defense, and for at least a 13-minute stretch Tuesday night at the Coors Events Center his Colorado Buffaloes gave him exactly what he wanted.
After Texas-Pan American hit three consecutive three-pointers and took a 9-3 lead, CU applied the clamps and didn't allow another field goal for 13 minutes.
Although their grip loosened considerably in the second half, the Buffs retained enough momentum to roll over the Broncs, 83-64, evening their record at 3-3 and remaining undefeated at home in Boyle's first season.
Boyle called his team's second-half defensive effort - allowing 45 points and 11 offensive rebounds - "the most disappointing thing about tonight . . . but our guys know that. We just lost our focus in the second half. There are so many things we need to get better on."
After Sunday's disheartening loss at Harvard, Boyle had challenged his team to play more together and ratchet up their intensity level no matter the opponent, regardless of the venue. He said he saw glimpses of unselfish play from seniors Marcus Relphorde, Cory Higgins and Levi Knutson, noting the trio "reacted how senior leaders should," as well as from sophomore Alec Burks.
"In practice and for the whole season, we've been trying to play hard on defense and let the offense come," Relphorde said. "We were finally to string together a bunch of stops . . . the more consistent we can become with that, the better we'll be."
But, added Knutson, "We need to string two (defensive) halves like the first one together."
Knutson (18) Relphorde (16) led CU in scoring, with 13 of Relphorde's total coming in the first half. Higgins added 15 points and a season-high seven of CU's 24 assists. Burks, the Buffs' leading scorer (22.4), managed only three first-half points and finished with 12 - the first game this season he's been under 20.
But Burks added five assists and a game-best seven rebounds, showing Boyle that he's striving to be well-rounded even if he's not hitting his scoring average.
Texas Pan-Am (2-6) scored its first nine points on three-pointers by three different players and took a six-point lead with 17:25 left in the half. If CU allowed that to continue, trouble awaited.
It didn't.
Holding the Broncs to a single free throw for the next 13 minutes, the Buffs went on a 19-1 run to take a 22-10 lead with 5:33 left before intermission.
After Brandon Provost's trey at the 17:25 mark, Texas-Pan Am didn't get its next field goal until Kieondre Arkwright's short jumper fell exactly 13 minutes later.
The Buffs held a double-digit lead for the final 3:14 of the half, increasing it to 15 (34-19) with an 8-2 run keyed by Levi Knutson's three-pointer from the left corner and layup two possessions later.
Relphorde hit all three of his three-point attempts in the first half, while Knutson added nine points on four-of-five shooting.
CU shot 54.2 percent (32-of-59) from the field, but more impressive was limiting Texas-Pan Am to 28 percent (7-of-25) in the first half and 42 percent (21-of-50) for the game. The Buffs also shared the ball more to Boyle's liking, recording 10 assists on their 13 baskets. They finished with 24 assists on their 32 field goals and out-rebounded the Broncs 34-24.
CU point guard Nate Tomlinson left the game after suffering a neck injury early in the first half. He did not return, and Boyle was awaiting results of X-rays at game's end.
In Tomlinson's absence, Shannon Sharpe filled in at point guard, with Cory Higgins also playing the position on occasion.
Burks got the Buffs started in the second half with a pair of free throws, and when Austin Dufault followed with a layup on an assist by Higgins, CU took its largest lead to that point - 38-19.
The visitors needed a time out. They took it, but it didn't help.
Relphorde rebounded a Texas-Pan Am miss and whipped the ball up court to Sharpe, who found Higgins open on the perimeter for a three. Seconds later, Burks finished a fast break with a dunk and the Buffs stretched their advantage to 43-19.
A 7-0 run by the Broncs brought them to 43-26. They got within 15 points (54-39) with 12:53 to play, but a timeout by Boyle settled the Buffs and the Broncs got no closer.
CU pushed its lead back to 20 (65-45) with 9 minutes remaining and coasted from there.
Tuesday night's game was the first in a five-game home stand for the Buffs. In a game Boyle calls "a good measuring stick for our program," CU hosts Oregon State Saturday night (8 p.m.) in the second game of a women's/men's doubleheader. The CU women play Illinois at 5 p.m.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
